Lighting and extinguishing means



April 11, 1944. I -w RUSSELL 2,346,455

' LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING MEANS FOR CANDLES Filed Jan. 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. PHILLIP W- RUSSELL a Wii April 11, 1944. w RUSSELL 2,346,455

LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING MEANS FOR CANDLES Filed Jan. 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4/59 VW i 62 l 5 m N J? 45 1 $6 5 i 53 +6 65 I I w 44 7 15-9 es V INVENTOR. 91 PHILLIP wnus-sea.

w BY Patented Apr. 11, 1944 LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING MEANS FOR CANDLES Phillip W. Russell, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to John M. Powers, Cleveland Heights,

Ohio

Application January 2, 1942, Serial No. 425,412

16 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike devices, such as candlesticks including the type disclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 425,411, filed January 2, 1942, wickless candles and candelabrums, and is particularly adapted for use in connection with candlelike devices when so situated as to be inaccessible. Lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike devices generally embody electrically actuated lighting means and air operated extinguishing means and therefore necessitate individual sources of energy for actuating these means.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved electrically actuated lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike devices, which means embodies cooperating shiftable elements effecting lighting and extinguishing of candles or candlelike devices and permitting of actuation of these means by a single source of energy. This general object of the invention is attained by arranging cooperating, shiftably mounted heating and extinguishing means opposite the wick of a candle or candlelike device and actuating these means jointly by a source of electric energy which simultaneously supplies the energy for lighting the wick of the candle. Lighting and extinguishing means, when constructed as described above, are specifically characterized by simplicity of construction and operation, and insure lighting and extinguishing of candles whenever desired and under all conditions.

Among other objects of the invention is the provision of improved means for shiftably mounting and actuating the igniting and extinguishing means to efiect proper lighting and extinguishing of the wick of candles or candlelike devices.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of means to continuously effect proper relation of the lighting and extinguishing means with respect to the wick of a candle or candlelike device.

With these and other incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims; and two preferred forms of embodiment of the invention are hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings forming part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side-view of a candlestick having arranged opposite the wick of its candle two shiftably mounted lighting and extinguishin means.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, through the candlestick shown in Figure 1, the section being taken on line 22 of Figure 3.

Fig. 3 is a top-view of the candlestick shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on line 44 of Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, similar to Figure 2, with the lighting and extinguishing means in their lighting or extinguishing position.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary, transverse sectional view through the candlestick with the lighting and extinguishing means in their lighting or extinguishing position; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, with the lighting and extinguishing means in rest position and the candle in slightl raised position after its upward feed effecting proper relationship of the lighting and extinguishing means with respect to the wick end of the candle.

Fig. 10 is a rear view of a candle guard mounting a somewhat modified lighting and extinguishing means.

Fig. 11 is a side-view of the structure shown in Figure 10; and

Fig. 12 is a diagram of the electric circuit controlling the lighting and extinguishing means, the diagram showing the circuit for actuating and controlling the lighting and extinguishing means by a single source of electric energy.

Referring now more particularly to the exemplified form of the invention shown in Figures 1 through 9 of the drawings, reference numeral 2 designates a candlestick embodying a tubular false candle housing 3 constructed and decorated to simulate a candle, and mechanism 4 within the housing for automatically feeding an actual candle 5 upwardly within housing 3 in such a fashion that the end of wick 6 of the candle and the flame arising therefrom extend above the upper edge 2' of the candle housing and produce the effect of a never shortening burning candle. Candlestick 2 is mounted in a supporting base 1 which seats the candlestick in a recessed bore 8 and electrically connects the candlestick with the source of electric energy, as will be later described.

The candle feed mechanism 4 is supported in a frame structure 9 which embodies two oppositely arranged U-shaped upright members H1 and H which have their web portions l2, l2 curved for stiffening same. These members mount between their lower portions an electric motor I3 having its opposite ends l4 and I5 clamped between perforated brackets and spacing members it and I! which are attached to webs l2, I2 of members It and H and thus connect said members with each other. Motor l3 has its shaft l8 extended through a perforation [9 in bracket I'l and, by means of a coupling 20, connected to the vertical shaft 2! of a reduction gear train 22 mounted upon a substantially U-shaped bracket 23 in turn secured to webs l2, l2 of upright members it and II. This reducing gear train includes a worm drive 24 with a Worm 25 on shaft 2! and a worm wheel 26 on a horizontal shaft 21, which latter shaft is coupled with a second vertical shaft or counter shaft 28, helical gears 29, 30 on shaftsZT, 28 being used for this purpose. The counter shaft 28 is coupled by means of a coupling 32 with a threaded shaft 3| which extends through and cooperates with a nut member 33 on a flanged, shiftable bracket 34, the flanges or" which guide same in the channels of the upright members 10 and H. When rotated, shaft 3! effects vertical shifting of bracket 34 and candle 5 supported in a cup-shaped member "35 on bracket 34. v

The upper end of frame structure 9 mounts on members [0 and H a candle lighting and extinguishing means. Thus, members it and H support near their upper ends a plate 31 secured to said'members byscrews 38, which plate includes a central bore '89 permitting of proper shifting of candle 5 through said plate and mounts a solenoid or electromagnetic device d I. This device, having substantially U-shaped outline, effects actuation of a scissorlike candle lighting and extinguishing member 43 which embodies a stationary U-shaped coil supporting member '34 on to member' l. Slide member 35 carries armature means 41 cooperating with member 34 and'is yieldingly forced upwardly, away from member &4 by a spring t8. At its upper end slide member 45 is provided with roller supporting extensions 49, the rollers 49' of which engage slotted levers 50, 5| of the candle lighting and extinguishing member 43. These levers are pivotally mounted on a pin 52 extended through the upper end of upright and have their lower portions slotted at 53, 54 respectively, for engagement with the rollers 49 on extensions 59.

When current flows through the coils 55 of member it, armature means 41 together with slide element 45 anditsextensions 49 are shifted downwardly, and. thisdownward movementeffects pivotingof the levers 50, 5! on their pivot pin 52 so that the extended upper ends 55, 57 of these levers approach each other. These ends of levers 50,51 support laterally extended therefrom lighting and extinguishing members 58 and 59 which are symmetrically arranged with respect to each other and wick 6 of the candle and mounted to slightly contact the wick when current flows through coils 55' and effects pivotal movementlof the levers 58, 5| in the manner previously described. The lighting and extinguishing member 158 on lever 50 embodies a plate 68 of insulatingmateri'al carrying a heating 'element 6! adapted toreadily ignitewick 6' when current flows throughsaid element,and' the lightwith a restricted circular passage 56 for wick 6.

The candle guard is made of metal and of surficient weight to cause the guard to gravitate with the candle and to prevent any Wax from escaping down the side of the candle. For such purpose theshell of the candle guard includes a downwardly inclined, circular shoulder 61 extended from passage 65 at an inclination of about 55, which shoulder rests upon the top of candle 5 and centers and seats the shell with respect to the candle. The upper end of passage it has upwardly extended therefrom an inclinedcircular wa1l 68 to form a well "69 adapted to store sufficient wax to insure proper burning of the candle. Well 69 has extended thereinto the lower end portions of plate SELwith heating element'fii, and plate 62 to speed melting of wax during igniting operations and facilitate snufiing of the candle flame during extinguishing operations.

The metal candle'g'uard Bil controls the circuit "E2 of the feed mechanism of the candle by automatically making and breaking this circuit so as to actuate and stop motor l3. Thus, guard 64 in one predetermined position bridges a gap '53 in circuit 12 formed between two contact blades 74, T5 in turn mounted on vertical posts it, ii. In addition, circuit 72 is controlled by break switches 78 andlQ which limitlthe upward and downward movement of candle 5. Switch l8 breaks the circuit and stops further upward movement of the candle when finger 86 on member'St shifts arm '8! of switch I8, and switch it breaks the circuit and stops further downward movement of the candle when finger 82 on bracket 84 shifts arm 83 of switch 19.

The operation of the described candlestick will best be understood from inspection of the diagram of circuit 12 shown in Figure 12 which discloses the electric hook-up of the candle-stick when coupled with net 84. The circuit 12 embodies a main circuit 85 and a shunt circuit 86 and is coupled with the net by main switch 81. The main circuit 85, which-controls the feed mechanism for candle 5, includes the shunt wound reversible motor 13, the candle-guard controlled break switch or gap l3 and the two break switches 78 and 19; and-the shunt circuit 85, which controls the candle lighting and extinguishing means, includes a push button make switch 89, a transformer 90,- asolenoid 9| for actuating the scissorlike candle lighting and extinguishing member 43 and the heating element 6! shunted from the secondary coil 92 of transformer 90.

When main switch 8l is closed, the candlestick can be lighted or extinguished by operation of pushbuttonmake switch 89. Thus, when switch 89 is closed, a' current flows through shunt circuit 86"With heating' element BI and solenoid 9|. For lighting 'o'perationsswitch 89 is held in closed position for a time interval sufiicient to heat coil BI and soften the wax so that solenoid 9! can actuate lighting and extinguishing member 4 3; and for extinguishing operations switch 89 is closed and then quickly released, such action effecting immediate operation of the extinguishing member 43 as the wax in well 69 is in its molten condition.

When the main switch 81 is closed, the main circuit 85 which controls the feed mechanism for the candle is under control of the three switches I3, I8 and I9, the latter two switches "I8 and I9 being generally closed limit switches, whereas switch 13 is under control of the candle guard 64. Closing of switch I3 depends on the position of candle guard 64 and is effected when such guard rests upon the contact blades I4, 15. At this time, current flows through main circuit 85 and then effects rotation of motor I3 and therewith upward shifting of the candle with candle supporting bracket 34, which latter is shifted by motor I3 over gear train 22 and threaded shaft 3|. Raising of candle 5 also raises candle guard 04 and then effects a contact break of the guard 64 with contact blades I4, I5 so that the current flow in main circuit 85 is shut 01f. This described action of the switch I3, which is repeated from time to time, is best to be understood from inspection of Figures 8 and 9 showing closed and opened positions of switch I3.

The limit switch I8 breaks the main circuit 85 when candle supporting bracket 34 has been shifted to its predetermined highest position and thus limits the upward movement of said bracket. When bracket 34 is in its highest position, the candle in candlestick 2 ha to be replaced or extended. This can only be effected by down ward movement of the candle supporting bracket 34, which downward movement is controlled by a reversible switch 93. This latter switch in its reverse position reverses the field of the motor and bridges switch I8 and gap 13, and thus effects reverse rotation of motor I3 and therewith downward movement of bracket 34. This downward movement of bracket 34 is automatically checked and damage to the candlestick, avoided, when, a finger 80 on bracket 34 actuates the lower limit switch I9 in the lowest predetermined position of said bracket and breaks the circuit for motor I3 then actuated in a reverse direction.

A somewhat modified form of lighting and extinguishin means for candles and candlelike devices is shown in Figures 10 and 11, in which a candle guard 95, mounted on a candle 06, carries a lighting and extinguishing means 94. This can- Il of which is coupled with a toggle arrangement I02 including levers I03 and I04 which have laterally extended from their ends cooperating lighting and extinguishing members 58, 59' similar in construction to members 58, 50 previously described. Levers I03 and I04 are pivotally supported upon a pin I05 extended from candle guard 95, and have their lower ends I06, IN by means of links H0 and III coupled to an L-shaped arm I08 which is attached to a shaft I09 extended from armature IOI. When current flows through the coil of solenoid I00, armature IOI is drawn downwardly against the force of spring II! and effects approach of the lighting and extinguishing members 58', 59, toward the wick II4 of candle 95. The member 58 carries a heating coil SI for lighting purposes and both members 58 and 59' in snufling operations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies two opposed lighting and extinguishing members, means adapted to shift said members close to each other and away from each other, and means to actuate said shifting means to effect lighting and extinguishing of the wick of a candle when positioned between said members.

2. In lighting and extinguishing mean for candles and candlelike bodies two opposed lighting and extinguishing members, and means adapted to shift said members toward and away from each other, one of said members embodying a heating means cooperating with the other member in lighting and extinguishing the wick of a candle when positioned between said members.

3. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies two pivotally mounted, cooperating lighting and extinguishing members including heating means for lighting purposes on one of said members, means adapted to shift said members toward and away from each other, and means for actuating said shifting means, said members cooperating with each other in lighting and extinguishing the wick of a candle when positioned between said members.

4. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies a scissorlike lever arrangement having secured to its upper ends cooperating lighting and extinguishing members, and means adapted to actuate said lever arrangement so as to effect shifting of said members toward and away from each other, one of said members being a heating element cooperating with the other one of said members in lighting and xtinguishing the wick of a candle when positioned between said members.

5. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies a scissorlike lever arrangement with two pivotally mounted levers, lighting and extinguishing members secured to the upper ends of said levers, and means coupled with the lower ends of said levers for opening and closing said scissorlike lever arrangement, one of said members being a heating element, cooperating with the other one of said members in lighting and snuffin the wick of a candle when positioned between said members.

6. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies a lever arrangement having two pivotally mounted, symmetrically arranged levers, lighting and extinguishing members secured to the upper ends of said levers and laterally extended therefrom, and means coupled with the lower ends of said levers adapted to pivot said levers so that said lighting and extinguishing members approach each other, one or said lighting and extinguishing members being a heating element cooperating with the other element in lighting and snuffing the wick of a candle when positioned between said members.

'7. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies a lever arrangement with pivotally mounted, symmetricall arranged levers, lighting and extinguishing members secured to said levers, one of said members mounting an electric heating element, electromagnetic means coupled with said levers for actuating same, and a source of electric energy for jointly actuating said electromagnetic means and said heating element.

8. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies a lever arrangement with pivotally mounted, symmetrically arranged levers, lighting and extinguishing members secured to said levers, one of said members mounting an electric heating element, electromagnetic means coupled with said levers so as to effect approach of said lighting and extinguishing members when current flows through said electromagnetic means, means yieldingly holding said lighting and extinguishing members away from each other, and a source of electric energy for jointly actuating said electromagnetic means and said heating element.

9. In lighting and extinguishing means -for candles and candlelike bodies two opposed, shiftably mounted lighting and extinguishing members, one of said members including heating means for lighting operations, electromagnetic means for shifting said members toward each other, and a source of electric energy'for jointly actuating said electromagnetic means and said heating means to effect lighting and snufilng operations. 7 7

10. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies two opposed, shiftably mounted lighting and extinguishing members, electrically actuated means for shifting said members, and a source of electric energy for shifting said means, said members each including a base plate and one of said members having mounted on its base plate a heating element electrically coupled with said'source of electric energy.

11. In lighting and extinguishing means for candles and candlelike bodies two cooperating,

shiftable lighting and extinguishing members mounted for close approach to each other when shifted toward each other, electrically actuated means for shifting said members, and a source of electric energy for actuating said mean-s, said means being laterally offset with respect to said lighting and extinguishing members-for mounting said means at the side of a candle and arrange said members above said candle in proper working arrangement with respect to its wick.

12. The combination of a candlestick including a frame, and a candle vertically shiftably mounted in said frame, with candle lighting and extinguishing means mounted on said frame in axially offset relation with respect thereto, said candle lighting and extinguishing means including two shiftable candle lighting and extinguishing members and means for shifting said members, said members being laterally extended from said means for actuation of said members above said candle in proper working arrangement With respect to its wick.

13. The combination of a candlestick includinga frame, a candle vertically shiftably mounted in said frame, and a candle guard mounted on the top of said candle, with candle-lighting and -extinguishing means mounted on said frame in axially offset relation with'rcspect to said candle, said candle-lighting and extinguishing means inasaaiss cluding two shiftable lighting and extinguishing members and means for shifting said members, said members being laterally extended from said shifting means toward and above said candle guard for actuation of said members in proper working relation to the wick of said candle, said shiftable members having their lower ends extended into said candle guard, and one of said members being a heating element, cooperating with they other one of said members in lighting and and extinguishing the wick of the candle positioned between said members.

14. The combination of a candlestick including a frame, a candle vertically shiftably mounted in said frame, means to shift said candle, and a candle guard mounted on the top of said candle and controlling said shifting means with candlelighting and extinguishing means associated with said candle guard, said latter means including two shiftable candle-lighting and extinguishing members and means for shifting said members, said members being arranged above said candle guard and extended thereinto for proper working relation of said members with respect to the wick of the candle, one of said members including a heating element cooperating with the other one of said members in lighting and extinguishing the wick of the candle positioned between said members.

15. The combination of a candle and a candle guard supported on said candle, with lighting and extinguishing means associated with said candle and its guard and arranged in axially offset relation with respect thereto, said means including two lighting and extinguishing members and means for shifting said members, said members being arranged to extend above said candle guard and extended't-hereinto for proper working relation of said members with respect to the wick of the candle, one of said members including a heating element and cooperating with the other one of said members in lighting and extinguishing the wickof the candle positioned between said members.

16. The combination of a candle and a candle guard supported on said candle, with lighting and extinguishing means mounted on said candle guard inaxially offset relation'with respect thereto, said means including pivotally supported lever means, means for-actuating'said lever means and two lighting and extinguishing members laterally extended from said lever means so that these members are positioned above a-nd'slightly extend into said guard for proper working relation of said members with respect'to the wick of said candle, said members being jointly shifted for lighting and extinguishing the wick of the candle positioned'between said members.

PHILLIP W. RUSSELL. 

